


A Colorless Place

by kaerstyne



Category: Bad Apple Wars (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, POV Outsider, POV Second Person, Post-Game(s), Shikishima NEVAEH Ending, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-28 15:01:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13273923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaerstyne/pseuds/kaerstyne
Summary: You first hear whispers of them on your third day at NEVAEH Academy. The "odd apples", as everyone calls them. They have names, of course, but no one remembers what they are. Someone who never interacts with anyone else doesn't need a name.





	A Colorless Place

You first hear whispers of them on your third day at NEVAEH Academy. The "odd apples", as everyone calls them. They have names, of course, but no one remembers what they are. Someone who never interacts with anyone else doesn't need a name.

On the fifth day you finally see them, sitting near the entrance to the school grounds, with a canvas set up in front of them. The boy paints carefully, delicate fingers curling around the brush, and the girl watches with interest, eyes dull but alert.

The paint is black. The canvas is black. Each new brushstroke only adds another stripe of darkness to the midnight void engulfing the surface of the fabric. Yet they're both intently focused on the task, like everything is normal.

It unnerves you, so you walk past them as quickly as you can.

You see them again a week later, this time behind the school building, but it's the same scene as before. A boy and a girl on matching stools, gazing silently into a swirl of pitch-black strokes. You can see the naked edges of the canvas, this time, and make out the shapes in the negative space around whatever the boy is painting, but you can't fathom what the image is supposed to be.

You notice that the paint on the boy's palette and brush is still vibrant and colorful, only fading when it touches the canvas.

You leave again, just as quickly as the first time.

It's a month and several sightings later before you hear either of them speak. The sun is setting and you're scurrying back into the dorms, and you pass them sitting outside the building, in the same arrangement as always. But the boy is lowering his brush this time, and he turns his head to the girl and says, "It's finished. What do you think?"

The girl gives the question serious consideration, tilting her head to the side and peering intently at the canvas. But after a moment her shoulders slump and she says, "I'm sorry, I don't understand this one either."

You almost trip on the sidewalk in surprise at that, but hurriedly regain your composure, slowing your gait just enough that you can hear the conversation. You don't want to intrude, but you can't stifle your curiosity, even after all the time you've spent at this soulless academy.

The boy nods and gives the girl a big smile. You can't see his face clearly from this angle, but you don't think it meets his eyes. "That's all right. We can always try again tomorrow."

The girl smiles back. Her eyes you can see, and they look the same as they always do—lifeless and empty. "I'm looking forward to it."

They start to pack up their things, and you quicken your pace again so they don't notice you lingering. As you enter the dorm, you can just barely catch their final whispers behind you.

"I love you, Shikishima."

"I love you too, Rinka."


End file.
